THE BLACK SQU/RI. ! < 



Abert's Squirn -1 >Scivnt* abrrtf) is found in Arizona and Colorado. It is peculiar in 

 having in winter long tufts of huir on the ear-tips. Tin- ears are very large. Like other 



Hperi.--. it i- -iil.j.-.-t t tin- :ill'ini-tir influence; and tin- l>la>-k varieties are o(Vn f-.nnd. Ki.l.t 

 otliur species are found in the wanner i>ortions of America. 



Tli, _. -nu- embraces group of pretty squirrels, a notable IIH-III|NT of whirh i- the 



familiar ( 'hipimi. -K. or Strij-l Squirrel (Tbmfcu ttriatn*). Their forms resemble tin- S|-r 

 m.iphil.--. tin- \\>-\\ .ii.v.-ediim group. Four species are known, tlin-< ..f tliem l>eing rontiii.d 

 to North America. The fourth species is found in the northern portions of both continent-. 

 No other animal is more familiar to the country side than this cheery little ('lii]ininek. Chip- 

 ping, or Ground Squirrel, as it is variously termed. Hackee is another name, known more in 

 tin- Middle States. Old stne walls seem to be the favorite resort of this littl.- en-atnre, and 

 ,-ver\ eountry Ixiy finds such localities certain to yield ready game to his box-trap. Its habi- 



. 



tat is from Minnesota to the Atlantic, and from Canada to Georgia. It is not found in the 

 alluvial districts of Carolina, nor in Florida. 



The Northern rhipmuek T. boreali*) is found equally abundant in Northeastern Kuroj--. 

 Northern Asia, and Northwestern America, southwards nearly to tin- t'nited States. Several 

 varieties are known in the Western plains and the Rocky Mountain Raim- 



Harris's Chipmuck is a New Mexican and Califoniian sjx-cies. It is JMI uliar in l'ing an 

 inhabitant of the desert, instead of the woodland. 



A not her species is named for the naturalist Say Wing first d.-seriU-d by him in 1H23 

 from specimens sent from the Arkansas River. Its habits resemble closely those of the East- 

 ern form. 



TIIK BLACK SQUIRRKL has most appropriately been named, for the whole of its fur, with 

 very slight and variable exceptions, is dyed with the deepest jet. 



Kven the abdomen and under parts of the body, which in almost all qn.i.li ii^-ds are of a 

 lighter hue than the back, ore in the Hlaek Squirrel of the same *aMe tin--. ith theoneptka 

 of a few small tufts of white hairs whieh are sratt'Ted at wide and irregular intervals. A few 

 single white hairs are also sown sparingly upon the Iwrk, but ore so few in numl-r as to 

 escape a mere casual phi nee. Th.- tail is also sliirhtly nWked with th.-~. whit- hair-. Thft 

 total length of this animal in aln.ut two feet t-n in. lies, the toil bfaig about thirt.-n im-hm 

 in l.-n^'th. i.,.- :l Mn.-.l to extremity of the fur. When the creature spreads its tail to its full 

 width, it measures nearly five im-hf* in diameter in the largest j>art. 



The Black Squirrel is a native of many parts of Northern Am.-riea, and is tol.-mMy com 

 m.m in some local! ti-. though very scarce in others. It is a curious fart, that it vanishM 

 U-fore the advent of the common northern Gray Sqninvl. and in many instances has 

 driven from son..- nf its private haunts and supplant.il by the more powerful intrnd-r. 

 seems to be rather a timid animal, as it has U-en observed to fly in terror wh-n threatened 

 with the anger of the Red Squirrel (Sciuru* hudrtniut). Despite its cowardice, it is rather 



